Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6A
July 2, 2008
iReporter
Hartwig says Milam is
sabotaging his campaign
I was part of the solution, not part of
the problem.
- George Hartwig on his time
working in a drug unit in FLorida in 2002.
. A
J
lot saying he did all the things
ig), but they were done on his
watch.
BY WILL DAVIS
District attorney candidate George
Hartwig of Bolingbroke says he wants to
clear his name from allegations being cir
culated by his opponent, current DA
Richard Milam.
Milam and his allies have been distrib
uting news articles about Hartwig's 5-
month tenure in 2002 as a captain with a
drug unit in the Charlotte County
Sheriffs Office. A Web site has also been
set up questioning Hartwig's stint there.
Last month, Milam hand-delivered two
newspaper articles about Hartwig's time
in Charlotte County to the Reporter and
other papers in the Towaliga Judicial
Circuit. Hartwig said sheriffs, judges and
attorneys in the circuit, which includes
Monroe, Butts and Lamar counties, have
called him to say the Milam campaign has
given them articles as well.
Milam and Hartwig face off in the July
15 primary.
The whisper campaign against Hartwig
has been based mostly on a 5-month stint
Hartwig had leading a troubled drug unit
with the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office
near Fort Myers.
Hartwig was an assistant district attor
ney in Houston County when he was
hired to go Charlotte County to clean up a
unit there in disarray. As a former Florida
law officer and then an attorney,
Charlotte County authorities said they
hoped Hartwig could turn the troubled
unit around. Before Hartwig arrived, one
officer was being investigated for pistol
whipping a suspect and there were also
allegations of horseplay in the office.
Shortly after Hartwig arrived, undercov
er agent Cpl. Wyatt Henderson asked
Hartwig for permission to sign out a
handgun from the armory to give to a con
victed felon to build rapport and get infor
mation. Hartwig said he adamantly
opposed that idea, but did agree to let the
agent sign out a handgun with a firing
pin removed to show
to the suspects to build trust. The inci
dent wound up leading to an internal
investigation. Florida law prohibits con
victed felons from carrying guns.
The incident is one of the stories
Milam's campaign has circulated, detailed
in an Oct. 18, 2002 article from the
Charlotte Sun. Hartwig was not repri
manded for the incident, but Milam's
allies say the incident raises questions
about Hartwig.
Hartwig says if Henderson gave the gun
to the convicted felon, he went directly
against his orders. And Hartwig says he's
the one who ordered the internal investi
gation into the incident, as well as probes
into others causing trouble in the depart
ment. Henderson ended up going to prison
for the pistol-whipping incident, some
thing that happened before Hartwig ever
got there.
"I was part of the solution, not part of
the problem," said Hartwig.
In fact, Hartwig said his efforts to get
rid of bad cops are what got him in trou
ble. An ally of one of those he was investi
gating accused Hartwig of sexual harass
ment. Hartwig said he quickly ordered an
internal investigation and was cleared of
all accusations.
Amy Oshier was a reporter with TV sta
tion WBBH in Fort Myers and covered the
Charlotte County Sheriffs Office during
Hartwig's tenure with the drug unit. She
said she's surprised that anyone would try
to link Hartwig with the bad cops in that
unit.
"There was an internal power struggle,"
said Oshier, now a freelance reporter. "A
lot of stuff happened in that unit and
that's why they brought George in. They
needed someone from the outside to clean
things up."
Oshier said she found Hartwig to be
honest and very energetic. But she said
he ran into a unit that was unfixable.
"It became appar
ent he wasn't happy with his inability to
right a sinking ship,' said Oshier.
After five months, Hartwig resigned and
returned to his job as assistant district
attorney in Houston County, where he's
remained for the past six years. The drug
unit was eventually disbanded.
Oshier said several members of the drug
unit were investigated and some were
convicted. But she said the incidents
being investigated either happened before
Hartwig was there, or were unfixable.
"George had foresight to recognize these
are some good ole boys and they're not
gonna change," said Oshier. "George had
nothing to do with any of that."
Oshier added: "George's integrity was
never called into question with us," and
she said it seemed unfair for his political
adversaries to try to tar him when he only
tried to correct the unit's problems.
Milam, however, said the articles seem
to show that Hartwig was responsible for
a lot of what went wrong.
"I'm not saying he did all the things
(wrong), but they were done on his
watch," said Milam,
- District Attorney Richard Milam.
Milam said he called the current sheriff
in Charlotte County but said he didn't
know much about what happened back
then. Milam admitted he has handed the
articles to people because he thinks they
ought to know, since Hartwig talks a lot
about his experience as a police supervi
sor. He said he is not connected with the
web sites dedicated to criticisms of
Hartwig.
Milam adds that Hartwig has been criti
cal of him too.
"He tries to paint us as soft because
we're not some paramilitary organization
going along with whatever law enforce
ment says," said Milam.
One thing both Milam and Hartwig said
they agreed upon: they want voters to
know the facts of the case before making
their decision.
A Jackson resident, Milam has served as
DA for nine years. He's been re-elected
twice following his appointment by
Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes. This year,
facing a challenge from Republican
George Hartwig, Milam switched to the
GOP.
Experience Does Matter
* Monroe County resident
* Seasoned prosecutor
* Knows how to convict criminals
* Tried 30 felons as Assistant DA
July 15th Republican Primary
Candidates
for commission chairman
against current chairman
Harold Carlisle, said his
past experience as a busi
nessman and his leader
ship skills would make him
the best person for the job.
“I will have respect for
[the commissioners] and I
will also command respect
from them,” said Green.
Green added that he would
have unruly commissioners
removed from meetings if
he is elected.
Commissioner Jim
Peters, who is not up for
re-election, but was pres
ent at the meeting, ques
tioned Green, saying the
chairman does not have
the authority to remove
commissioners no matter
how unruly they may
become.
Green said, if elected, his
agenda would include com
bining county and city
services and building a
new hospital.
Carlisle agrees that the
commissioners have diffi
culty getting along some
times, but said “If we
agreed all the time, you
would only need one com
missioner.”
Carlisle also said he
hopes to forma county
water authority. “We must
take the politics out of who
gets water and who does
not,” said Carlisle.
Among the other candi
dates present was Mark
Goolsby, democratic candi
date for chief magistrate.
Incumbent Jeff Davis was
not present.
Tax commissioner candi
dates Lori Andrews and
Barbara Baswell attended
the meeting, although
Baswell, a Republican,
does not face opposition in
the primary. Andrews says
her experience working as
chief deputy tax commis
sioner under Patsy Miller
and her willingness to go
the extra mile make her
the best candidate.
Andrews’ opposition on
July 15, Joy Phillips, was
unable to attend due to ill
ness.
Sheriff John Cary Bittick
faces his first opponent in
three elections. Serving 26
years as sheriff, Bittick
says his record speaks for
itself.
Seven qualify for
three BOE seats
Qualifying for three seats on the Monroe County Board
of Education ended Friday with each race contested.
Qualifying for District 2 were incumbent Dr. J. Ray
Grant and John Marc Cooling. In District 4 there will be
three names on the ballot; Sonya Williams, Judy
Pettigrew and Robert Lee Watson. In District 6, incum
bent Tammy Fletcher and Clete Sanders will face each
other.
The board seats are non-partisan and will not be
included in the primary election in July, but will be on
the Nov. 4 general election ballot. Voters will only vote
for candidates in their own district.
continued from page 1A
“I’m very proud of what
we’ve done in the last 26
years,” said Bittick.
Challenger John Waldrop
says he holds no animosity
towards Sheriff Bittick but
disagrees with him on sev
eral issues, including the
sheriff’s extensive travel.
X Vote
I George Hartwig
district Attorney
www.hartwigforda.com
Paid for by Hartwig for DA
^Joy Phillips
I will bring experience, integrity and maturity to the office.
Tax Commissioner
“Friendly and helpful taxpayer service will be my Number One Priority.
We need a change in leadership and administration that treats our
neighbors and the issues right.”
Paid for by candidate